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EJde ZUOOA TO. Stencil-Frames for Autographic Printing. No. 219,665.

Patented Sept.'l6, I879.

MFETEHS. PHoTmLnuOGRAPRER. WASHINGTON. D. c.

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EUGENIO DE z-UcoATo,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. I

OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

IMPROVEMENT IN STENCIL-FRAMES FOR AUT OGRAPHIC PRINTING.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 219,665, dated September 16, 1879; application filed April 3, 1879. i

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EUGENIO DE ZUCGATO,

of London, England, have invented a certain Improvement in Stencil-Frames, of which the following is a specification.

My improvement relates to apparatus for holding paper-stencils, which is usually composed of a frame hinged to a bed, upon which the object to be marked is supported; and my invention consists in providing a stencilframe with an adjustable sliding clamping device for holding one edge of the stencil-paper, having a range of adjustment adapting the apparatus to hold stencil-sheets of widely-variable sizes.

In the accompanying drawings, representing a stencil-frame embodying my improvements, Figure 1 is a top view of the frame, hinged to the usual bed. Fig. 2 is a side View thereof. Fig. 3 is an end view, and Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical section through the line 0000 'on Fig.1. Fig. 5 is a cross-section of the clamping device through either of the lines y 3 on Fig. l.

In the drawings, A represents the bed of the apparatus, upon one side of which the frame B is hinged.

Each end of the stencil-frame is provided with a clamping device suitable for holding one edge of the stencil-paper.

A convenientand simple form of clamping device is shown in the drawings. It consists of a longitudinal groove, F, in the outer face of each end piece of the frame, which consti tutes the stationary jaw of the clamp, and the secured to the frame at one end by the pivot f, and adapted to swing .into and occupy the longitudinal groove F, being held therein by the action upon its free end of the latch or locking device G, which is affixed to the frame.

The rectangular frame composed of the side pieces, I) b, and the end pieces, I) b, is of course not adapted to hold stencil-sheets that are any shorter than the distance between the end pieces of the frame.

. To adaptthe frame for holding shorter stencil-sheets I provide a movable clamp, which consists of the transverse bar H, made long enough to be notched upon the side pieces, b

b, of the frame, and provided at each end with a set-screw, H, by means of which it may be fixed in any desired position.

One edge of the transverse piece H is provided with a longitudinal groove, h, and a cylindrical bar, I, is secured at one end to the movable piece H by the pivot z, and at the other end by the spring-latch i.

The stencil-sheet is held in each case by being introduced between the stationary jaw and the swinging bar.

When the swinging bar is locked or latched that portion of the stencil-sheet between the bar and the stationary jaw is pressed into the groove in which the swinging bar rests.

In some cases it may be desirable that the movable clamp shall exert an elastic or yielding pull upon the stencil-sheet. To this end I provide the outer faces of the side'pieces, b b, with the longitudinal grooves K, these grooves being made of sufficient width to allow the set-screws H to enter and move freely in them. I then connect each end of the transverse piece H, by means of a spring, 70, with one end of the frame, and. loosen the set-screws H H, so that the transverse piece H may be free to traverse the frame.

The grooves K serve as the guides in which the ends of the set-screws H H slide.

It will of course be understood that a weight or weights may be substituted for the springs, and will have substantially the same effect in enabling the movable clamp to exert a yielding pull upon the stencil-sheet.

A variety of devices may be employed for clamping the stencil-sheet and for latching or looking the swinging bars. For example, thelever L may be pivoted to the end of the swinging bar, and may be provided with the transverse hole Z, enabling it to be hooked on the pin Z, projecting laterally from the frame, the location of the pin 1 being arranged with reference to the hole 1 in the lever, so that when the lever is hooked on the pin the swinging bar will firmly compress the stencil-sheet upon the grooved end piece of the frame.

I claim as my invention- 1. A stencil-frame hinged to a suitable bed, and provided with a stationary clamp for holding one end of the stencil-sheet, and means for holding the opposite end of the stencilslleet, consisting of a movable clamp having V a Wide range of adjustability, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a stencil-frame, a stationary clamp for holding the stencil-sheet at one end, in combination with a movable clamping device held by a spring or springs, whereby an elas- 

